The Drawing of Death
by The Dollop Head Who Waited
Summary: This is a fic by my 9 year old daughter. It involves bandits, Morgana, a roly poly, eye hugs (uhhhhh...) and death. Yeah, it's a death fic. But... geez, I don't know how else to explain it. Just please R&R, kindly. She is 9 and she loves to write. Tiny amount of Gwen bashing at the end there. Bromance. Thanks!


Title: The Drawing of Death

Rating: K+

Summary: Merlin and Arthur go on a hunting trip and they get ambushed by Morgana. Reveal!fic. Warning for character death.

Author's Note: Written by my 9 year old daughter. Only minimal editing was done, mostly for punctuation. These are literally her words, and yes, it is VERY bromancey. Also, she's discovered the thesaurus. Life will never be the same…. Please read and review, and please be kind – she's a new writer and encouragement is appreciated!

Disclaimer: We don't own Merlin

Merlin reached higher and higher to grab the sword. He couldn't reach anything now that they put a 5th shelf up. He gave it to Arthur and prepared the horses. He had no idea what journey was ahead of him. They were going to the hunting competition. Arthur held one every year.

" _All he does is camp and sing and drink ale_ ," Merlin thought, halfway there.

"Beautiful day for a hunting competition, eh, Percival?" Arthur asked. "Percival?" Arthur looked back. He saw Percival's horse galloping away, and Percival on the ground! He had an arrow in his heart! He was badly wounded. Arthur lifted him on his horse, then galloped away.

"Merlin, behind me!" yelled Arthur. Merlin galloped beside him. "Merlin! I told you behind!"

"I could not leave you. You are my mind, my soul, my heart, my everything. I will do everything in my strength to protect you to the end. I cannot leave you! Even though you're an arrogant dollophead, a stubborn mule, and a stupid prat!"

Arthur was surprised by his speech. He reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. The next target was Arthur. Merlin looked and pushed him off his horse. Merlin jumped off his horse, not leaving Arthur's side. The knights did the same, and they looked up.

"Hello, brother," said Morgana. "I'm sorry we had such an awkward meeting but it was worth it." Morgana galloped towards them just as Merlin took her off her horse with powerful magic. Merlin grabbed Arthur's hand and escaped.

The knights travelled back to Camelot. Merlin and Arthur then quickly headed for shelter. He finally found a little shelter out of trees and ivy. "You should rest. There's probably a very long journey ahead of us."

"Merlin?" asked Arthur. "Do you have any secrets from me? I'd like to know, please."

"Ummm…" stuttered Merlin. "I've tried to keep it from you. I have …"

"Magic," said Arthur.

"Huh?"

"I saw you wound Morgana. I'm disappointed that you kept it from me, but I'm happy that you use it for good. I should also thank you."

"Eye hug!" said Merlin. ** (see note end)

"Merlin! It was not an eye hug! I saw a deer!"

"Well, I don't see any tracks!"

"Fine, maybe a tiny one."

"Uh-huh," said Merlin. ""Night, Arthur!"

"'Night, Merlin."

"Arthur?" asked Merlin, "I'm scared."

"Merlin, shut up. Nothing's going to happen to you while I'm around. You are my best friend and I don't dare lose you."

"Thanks. But you might die."

"Merlin, if I die, I'll die with pride, knowing that I've done the best for my kingdom. Please give this to Guinevere, if I don't return," said Arthur, showing Merlin a golden pendant.

"Arthur, you will! I know you will! Just don't leave me."

"Let's get some sleep, Merlin."

"Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I'll always be with you."

"And I, you," Merlin said, as they went into the most comfortable sleep they'll have in a long time.

As they woke, Merlin heard horses right outside the door! He woke up Arthur and told him what he had heard. "Merlin, stay in the shelter. If I don't come back in 20 seconds, panic. Oh, and don't cheat," said Arthur, bounding outside.

"Attack!" yelled Arthur. He was gone for 17 seconds. Merlin began to panic. "Merlin," said Arthur, "I said no cheating. We should better move; we don't know when bandits might attack."

"Bandits kept you for 17 seconds?"

"Thanks for the compliment, but really, we need to go. I see some bandits heading our way."

"How? You're not looking out the shelter window."

"Yeah, there's a big hole behind you."

"Oh."

"Come on, Merlin."

"Okay, okay." As they were running, an arrow hit Arthur's back. Merlin quoted a spell, and _whoosh_ , the bandits were sent off their ponies. Then the bandits soon ran away.

"We can go to Ealdor where my mother, Hunith, can take care of you," said Merlin.

They hardly reached Ealdor. Hunith took care of Arthur, until he was as strong as a horse. Merlin and Arthur rested for a while, then continued on their journey. It was such a wild journey, I don't know where to start. Well, they first found a camp. Then they looked for some food and water. After they were stuffed with deer and water, they looked for enemies. "Let's go," said Merlin.

"Merlin, I'm the king; I tell you when to go and when not to go."

"Oh, I thought you'd changed."

"Merlin, stop!"

"Arthur, look. A family of roly-polys!"

"Yes, I do love those!" said Arthur, in a manly way.

"Of course, sire. Let's give them some of our leftovers!"

"Sounds great!" After the roly-polys were fed, they heard loud horse hooves heading for their shelter. "Quick, Merlin, behind me!"

They opened the ivy door to their shelter.

"Halt! Would we really kill our king?" shouted Percival.

"I've come close," Gawain pushed in.

"Oh, are we glad to see you! My only friend is a stupid prat!" exclaimed Merlin.

"Well, I think you have to share a horse," said Leon.

"Share a horse! I can't share a horse with Merlin!" So Merlin rode part of the way on a pig they were going to eat for lunch.

But then bandits came with dangerous weapons. As they were fighting one of them, the strongest, and the most focused, shot a crossbow. The arrow headed for Gawain, but before Merlin could use his magic, Arthur pushed his way in front of Gawain. He was wounded badly.

Merlin using déjà-vu, grabbed Arthur's hand and ran away. He looked at Arthur's chest, and it was slowly turning blue. He had studied about this in his magic book. He took him to a great lake. Arthur was slowly dying.

"Merlin, I won't last."

"Arthur!"

" Please just hold me," said Arthur. "I've come to my end. I've always loved you. Thank you so much for what you did."

"Arthur!"

"Please… thank you," said Arthur.

"Arthur! Don't leave me!" said the young warlock, with tears in his eyes. He made a small brown boat, lined with flowers of yellow and red, and laid Arthur's body inside of it. There are no words in the English dictionary how horrific and miserable the dark blue, watery eyes Merlin had that day. Merlin walked home, crying.

Gwen became queen, but quickly was defeated. Merlin became king, and is now roaming Ireland and England, waiting for Arthur when Albion needs him most, and now works at a coffee shop, wearing skinny jeans.

The End

· *** NOTE - This is a reference to the, ah…. Intimate eye contact which Arthur and Merlin enjoy quite frequently in the series. However, in the interest of keeping my daughter's precious ears as innocent as possible, I call it eye hugs instead of.. you know. The other thing. And this is why. Because she hears EVERYTHING.


End file.
